Byul’s whole body tensed up as soon as the front doors opened. She tore her gaze away from Kei to look at Hyejin. Her lion was smiling, not a care in the world. Seeing this on a regular day would brighten up Byul but knowing that any moment now the exes would meet in her presence, it made her heart pound painfully. How would Hyejin react? 

 

Will she even need me anymore? Byul thought, as she showed a kind smile at Hyejin who was fast approaching. Every step the latter took, her heart matched by drumming on her chest, going crazy at the thought that the decisions she’ll make for the next minutes may determine what happens to her and Hyejin’s relationship afterwards. 

 

“Hey” her lion beamed.  

 

Byul stood in her place, struggling to form a greeting. 

 

“Yah, Moon Byulyi” Hyejin pouted. “I said hey.”

 

Then the sound of chair scrapping the floor was heard. Byul side glanced to the left and saw Kei standing. She suddenly had the urge to get out of there. Recollect herself to fight another day. To hell with Hyejin’s friends, making her play the dangerous game of dangling temptation in front of a lion. They could still run for it. But something rooted her in her spot. 

 

Curiosity. She was curious, she wanted to know, she needs to know the answer to her question.

 

Will Hyejin pick me?

 

Byul saw Kei standing behind Hyejin…

 

“Hyejin is that you?” Kei asked, kindly. 

 

Byul remembered the times they interacted, Kei’s tone was always mean and full of sass, she couldn’t believe what she’s hearing now. Come to think of it, she look Kei up and down, it’s like she had transformed. The racy outfits Byul had seen her wear in the past was replaced, she was in a clean cut suit, and her hair was styled in a high bun, wearing less make up making her face look kinder, less intimidating. Byul stared in disbelief at her and then at Hyejin, who had frozen in place, looking at the counter. Kei placed a hand on Hyejin’s shoulder and turned her around, Byul’s body jerked, she wanted to go between them, stop this, yet she only watched. 

 

“It is you!” Kei exclaimed. 

 

“Kei?” Hyejin finally spoke. 

 

“Long time no see” Kei smiled, her aura is bubbly. And it looked like her smile was genuine. “It’s been almost three weeks.”

 

Byul frowned. They met three weeks ago…

 

“I can see you remember the last time you and I talked” Kei laughed nervously. “Can I ask you to forget that night? You see… I met Dahee here since then and she helped me realise my wrongdoings. I know it’s a lot to ask but please…”

 

To Byul’s utter surprise, Kei went into a deep bow in front of Hyejin and said. “Please forgive me.”

 

Hyejin stepped back, “What are you doing?”

 

“I want us to be friends, so I’m apologising for all the things I did to you, I’m so sorry Hyejin.”

 

"Seriously? Friends?" Hyejin choked up. “Stop calling me Hyejin.” 

 

Byul bit her lip, the confusion in Hyejin’s voice made Byul finally interfere. She went between them. 

 

“Everything ok?” Hyejin looked at her wide eyed. “Jinie?”

 

“U-unnie” Hyejin shook her head. “I have to go”

 

“Why?” Byul feigned ignorance. “Who is she?”

 

Hyejin did not answer for a while, she looked like she was contemplating something. “I- I’ll tell you later. I need to talk to her. To them.” 

 

This is it. This is the part where I lose you, Byul thought. She searched Hyejin’s eyes for reassurance but her lion’s eyes is looking past her. Where Kei was.

 

“Kei get up.” Hyejin said. 

 

Byul had a bad feeling about this. She can’t let Hyejin out of her sight so she wrapped her hand around Hyejin’s. 

 

“I’ll be ok” Hyejin reassured her. 

 

I won’t, Byul thought.  

 

“Ok. Talk. But do it here in the cafe,” so I can keep an eye on you.

 

~~~

 

Hyejin’s confusion had completely dissipated replaced by suspicion when she sat across Kei and Dahee at their table, her back purposely on Byul who was at the counter. This was not her intention at all, she wanted to get Kei away out of there, confront her where Byul cannot witness it but the barista insisted on keeping her at the cafe and Hyejin couldn’t argue with that. This meant her hands were tied.  

 

Only a fool would believe the reformed girl act Kei is putting up now but it would not do to lash out especially when she is playing her role somewhat convincingly and more, Hyejin was not sure what Dahee’s role in this. Her hand formed to a fist under the table, bring it on my , right now the only thing she could do was play along.

 

“Hyejin” Kei said.

 

Kei calling her by her real name made her cringe . But would she prefer Hwasa? 

 

“I almost didn’t recognise you.” Hyejin admitted.

 

“Do you like my transformation?” Kei asked, turning here and there. “Dahee here helped me a great deal.”

 

Dahee nodded. “Kei was really devastated the night I found her at the bar 3 weeks ago. She was crying about a girl.”

 

This was getting more ridiculous. Kei was crying? Please. 

 

“Oh”

 

"I became concerened cause of the stories she told. She was so obssessed and frankly she scared me. But I wanted to help her."

 

“S-she talked me out of pursuing you” Kei stammered. 

 

Hyejin raised an eyebrow. It was so hard to believe even if Dahee was there to confirm all of these. In fact, she may be an accomplice. 

 

“I got her contact info and we called every time she had the urge to get to you. It was hard to convince her to call in the first place but I kept spamming her with texts. Slowly she learned to call me on her own, and eventually she called less and less about you. I guess it was a blessing in disguise cause we became friends in the process. We talked about other things, but there’s something she still wanted to do. She wanted to talk to the girl. Apologize to her.”

 

“I guessed you blocked me, and banned me in your condo and office, so I couldn’t reach you anywhere.” Kei shifted uncomfortably. “But then Dahee told me she'd help me look for you. I told her your name. It just so happened that she came to the cafe and met you. That's how I knew you were here, still I needed days to gather courage to come see you.”

 

“You did?” Hyejin asked. 

 

“Look Hyejin, I know what I did in the past were horrible. I know that now and I'm embarrased to even show my face to you.”

 

“Oh”

 

“I only had the strenght to come here when she agreed to accompany me, to apologise and have closure.” Kei said, looking at Hyejin almost pleading with her eyes. “I am so sorry, Hyejin, please forgive me. I’ll kneel if you want me to.” 

 

“Don’t” Hyejin said. Her mind is racing with thoughts, her gut tied in a knot, chaos was in her system and she could not think right. 

 

In the chaos all she said was, “I need time.”

 

Kei perked up. 

 

It was not a no. Hyejin was aware of that. Does this mean she still have hope?

 

“Thank you, Hyejin.” Kei smiled. “I guess when you’re happy you really can forgive people easily”

 

Hyejin wanted to leave now to arrange her thoughts but Kei kept her there. 

 

“You’re happy” Kei continued to smile pleasantly. “Cause you’re dating someone, right?”

 

Those words reminded Hyejin of the confrontation in her condo, when Kei was prying her. And as if compensating for the lack of answer she gave last time, she blurted out. “No.”

 

The next moment Dahee looked up and smiled. “Oh hi, Byul!”

 

Hyejin felt like she was dunked in ice water. Her whole body froze. 

 

“H-hi” Byul stuttered. “I have cakes for everyone, my treat.”

 

Hyejin knew the barista heard her answer. She was looking down at the table too guilty to look up but when she saw the cake served up in front of her she almost cried.

 

“What’s this?” Dahee asked. 

 

“It’s called a gotham cake” 

 

“Byul” Hyejin said, looking up. The pained smile the barista showed Hyejin broke her heart. This was never her intention. 

 

“I made it for you”

 

“You know each other?” Kei asked.

 

“I told you she’s a regular” Dahee explained. 

 

Byul's voice cracked but she continued. “Since it is your last day tomorrow and you’ve been asking for a while I thought you’d want to have it before leaving Seoul.”

 

“You're leaving Seoul?” Kei asked. “What does she mean Hyejin?”

 

“I’m going home for the holidays.” Hyejin answered without looking away from Byul. She wanted for the barista to see how sorry she is.

 

“I guess I’d have to keep Byul company in the meantime” Dahee chimed in. 

 

Hyejin’s head snapped to her. Thee audacity!

 

“Actually, I’ll leave the day after.”  said Byul.

 

Take that. Hyejin tried to hide the smirk that was threatening to show, despite the situation.

 

“Oh are you?” Kei asked. Hyejin felt the knot in her gut tightened, she sensed a malice hidden there. Why did it felt like the old Kei asked that question?

 

Byul nodded. 

 

Kei laid back in her chair and fell silent. 

 

“Bummer” Dahee commented. “But thanks for the cake”

 

“Yeah” Byul nodded. “I’ll leave you ladies” 

 

Byul was about to leave, Hyejin planned to follow soon after, get the hell out of there and try to explain. 

 

“Hey, Byul?” Kei said, before anyone could move. “Why don’t you join us?”